


They Can't Take Away Us

by LittleSass



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-09
Updated: 2016-04-09
Packaged: 2018-06-01 04:47:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6501385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleSass/pseuds/LittleSass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After reuniting in Orlando, Christen and Tobin do a little reflecting on their relationship!</p>
            </blockquote>





	They Can't Take Away Us

**Author's Note:**

> Took me a little longer, but I did it. Here you go!

"So did you have fun today?" Tobin asked, scratching the back of her head a little as she turned to face her girlfriend. Without thinking, she slid her arm around her girlfriend and waited for her response. 

"Yeah, it was fun." Christen answered referring to her day with Crystal and Julie in Downtown Disney. For a second, she had considered not coming to the game tonight because she was actually pretty tired from a long day in the sun. But the second she saw how excited Tobin was to see the male counterparts of her NWSL team play, Christen knew it would be better if she went along. 

"Good. Well I wanted to let you know that I was able to get Sam to switch rooms with me. So I get you all to myself tonight. Sound good?"

Christen gave a quick nod. "Sounds great." 

Before she could say anything else, she felt Tobin trying to discretely pull her arm off her shoulder. She watched as her girlfriend tried to awkwardly manuever her arm from between them so it wasn't obvious that her arm was previously wrapped around her girlfriend's shoulder. Then she noticed they were on camera. It was in that moment she knew they were caught.

To make matters worse instead of brushing it off and acting normal, Tobin began to wave her arms back and forth, bringing more attention to herself. Slowly, Christen sunk back into her seat as Tobin leaned forward to get the camera off her girlfriend who was all red from blushing. 

She caught Alex's eyes from a few seats down and knew what the other striker was thinking. It was pretty much what they were all thinking.

Tobin fucked up a little. 

There were already so many comments and asks about if Preath was real all over social media. Now the fandom was going to have a field day with this. Getting caught on camera with a seat separating the pair from their other teammates and Tobin's arms around her shoulder was definitely going to cause a riot.

To be honest, a part of Christen was actually happy it was documented. Obviously she wasn't going to be happy with all those crazy Instagram and Twitter followers hounding them with questions of whether or not Preath was real. But a part of Press, wanted people to know that they were together. She knew why they were hiding it but that didn't make it suck any less. It was exhausting, hiding from the outside world all the time. 

With those thoughts in her head, Christen found it hard to focus on the rest of the game. Tobin recognized her girlfriend's distance the rest of the game but decided to leave it be. Sometimes when Christen was lost in her head, she needed a little time before being coerced into talking about it. 

 

* * *

 

When the girls arrived back to their hotel, Tobin managed to forget about her disappointment in seeing the Timbers lose to Orlando City. Instead her focus shifted to her girlfriend who had walked over to the window and had been staring at the city down below for the last five minutes. 

Carefully, Tobin crept up behind her before placing her head on the younger woman's shoulder and wrapping her arms around her middle.

"Everything okay, babe? You've been kind of out of since the game."

The striker didn't answer right away. Silence fell over them as she continued to stare out the window. "Do you ever get tired of hiding?"

"From what?" Tobin asked her as she started playing with the striker's fingers.

"The world." Christen allowed Tobin to take in what she was asking before continuing. "We are constantly hiding our relationship from the world. I'm getting tired of it. Sometimes I just want to hold your hand and go out on dates or kiss you and not have to worry about someone seeing. Don't you want that?"

"Of course I want that. Why would you think that I wouldn't want that?"

Christen shrugged, moving Tobin's head along with her shoulders since she forgot that the midfielder's head was resting there. "I don't know. I just feel like I'm ready to tell everyone, but I know you don't want to. At least not yet."

"Hey." Tobin stood up straight so that she could turn her girlfriend around. "I love you and I want everyone to know that, but I also want to protect you. I don't want you having to deal with those who can't accept that you are into girls. I just want to protect you a little longer. Some people can say some really hurtful things and I don't want you to dwell on those comments the way you do even when you try not to."

"I just want people to know how much I love you."

"I know, babe. I want that too. But remember, the people who matter know. Our closest friends and family know and support it. We will tell the world eventually, but for now, why not enjoy the moments that people can't take."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean as soon as word gets out, we won't get much privacy. People will want to take what we want to keep to ourselves. I can tell from your face that you have no idea what I'm talking about. Just wait, you'll know exactly what I mean when it happens."

Christen wanted to talk more about this but could feel the effects of her long day creeping in. Seeing this, Tobin lead them over to bed and helped Christen in before turning off the lights for the night. 

 

* * *

 

Things seemed to be fine over the next few days. Besides the crazy spammers over social media, Christen and Tobin had little to worry about because their focus was supposed to be on the game against Colombia. 

Hours before the game, Christen stepped onto the bus with Mallory behind her. She was asking the younger girl how school was going, considering how much she was missing due to the national team call ups. Mallory began telling Christen how things weren't going fine and that she appreciated how much time the older woman sacrificed to help her with her school work. It all started with Christen noticing how Mal always left dinner earlier than everyone else, claiming that she had to work on her homework. Wanting to keep the girl company, Christen followed the girl up to her room and offered her help. The only thing that Christen refused to help Mal on was her Calculus homework. Her best bets with that were, to many people's surprise, Kling or Kelley. 

They've become much closer as Mallory continued to get calls up. Cheney must have rubbed off on her a lot because she found herself in a similar relationship with Mal as Cheney had with Moe. It was simple. Things were easy between them. Mallory had found herself gravitating towards Christen and the older brunette was more than happy to take the young girl under her wing. She knew that Mal had the potential to grow into possibly one of the best players the women's game had ever seen, and she was honored that the girl wanted to work with her. 

Through a small game of telephone, Christen had heard how Mal viewed her. Mal had Lindsey, who told Tobin, who then proceeded to tell her. She had been touched when she heard how much the girl wanted to make her impress her in their January camp. Christen had assumed that Mal would have been continuing the trend and falling to Alex to learn the ropes of this higher level of play just as Alex had done with Abby. She loved all of her fellow strikers but sometimes it sucked being forgotten when you had the likes of Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach, Sydney Leroux, and Amy Rodriguez to compete with. 

They were mid-conversation when Christen felt herself being pulled down into a seat not too far from the front. She looked over to find her girlfriend clutching her arm with a smile. Christen gave her a confused look before turning to Mallory to apologize and tell her that they would finish talking later. 

"That was rude, Tobin. We were talking." Christen states, motioning to the younger brunette who was now taking her seat next to Lindsey. 

"I'm sorry. I just got really excited."

"Why?"

"Because I get to sit next to you."

"What are you talking about? Alex is going to kill me when she finds me sitting here. I may be your girlfriend, but I don't love you enough to face Alex Morgan's wrath for messing with her game day superstitions."

Tobin rolled her eyes at her girlfriend's exaggeration. "You don't have to worry about it, babe. Alex is sitting with Allie right now. She figured since she wasn't playing and she won't be seeing Allie as much now that she's playing for the Pride, it wouldn't hurt to switch bus buddies for the day."

As soon as the words left Tobin's mouth, Christen got up and started searching the bus. She would be so embarrassed if this was a trick and Alex pops up and they relive the time Christen unknowingly took her friend's bus seat. It didn't take her long to find Alex sitting next to Allie in the middle of the bus. When Alex looked up and saw Christen staring at her, she smiled and gave her a thumbs up as a sign that it was alright. Christen smiled back before mouthing a quick thank you. 

She slid into her seat and instantly curled up into Tobin's side. She half-listened to Tobin going on about how they needed to get revenge on Kelley after the defender had ambushed them with snowballs at training. 

 

* * *

 

Christen was one of the first on the bus and immediately took her by the window seat, ready to get a second of rest before the team decided on how to celebrate before moving on to their next game. Slowly she closed her eyes and allowed them to rest as she heard her teammates making their way to their seats. Many were still riding the high of their win, so they were a little louder than Christen would have liked but who was she to complain. 

When she felt someone drop into her lap, her first instinct was to push them onto the floor. She assumed that it had to be either Tobin or Kelley, but when she opened her eyes to find a 17-year-old in her lap, she stopped herself. Mal was sitting with her back against the window and her legs stretched into the aisle, making it harder for her passing teammates to get passed. The smirk on her face and glint in her eyes showed Christen that the girl was thoroughly amused by how aggravated some of the friends were becoming as they tried to maneuver themselves around the younger girl.

"Great game today, Mal." Christen said, trying to pull Mallory's attention away from where she was trying to trip Emily as she walked by. It worked, and Christen was awarded by a huge smile that rivaled her own. 

"Thanks, Press. Wish you were out there with me instead of subbing in for me. It would have been more fun."

"Maybe next game. But I'm so happy for you. Your second goal."

Everyone had been out of their seat cheering on Mallory when she scored, but no one cheered louder than Christen. She had watched with pride as Mal slipped a ball right past the Colombian keeper for her second goal and ran first into Lindsey's arms and then straight into Tobin's. There was a small part of her that wished that she had been on the field because she had a feeling that the young girl would have run into her arms just as she did in her first cap. However, Christen was glad that Tobin had been on the field with her because she saw the smile stretching across Mal's face as she jumped into Tobin's arms in celebration. 

"You really play way beyond your years. Keep playing like you are and you'll be one of the greats. You'll be up there with Mia Hamm and Abby and Alex." 

"You know, I remember some of my friends telling me that during one of the Olympic Qualifying Games the announcers were saying how I reminded them of a 17-year-old Christen Press. I'm going to take that as a huge compliment." Mal stated proudly. She had almost lost in when her friends back in Colorado had told her that people are comparing her to one of her idols. 

Christen scoffed. "I should be the one taking that as a huge compliment. I'm still relatively new to the team compared to some of the other players. I didn't make it here until I was what, 23? And here you are at the tender age of 17."

"Doesn't matter how long you've been on this team. I admire you for everything that you've accomplished and hope to grow into a player like you." 

"Thank you. I have no doubt that you'll grow into one better."

When Tobin finally stepped onto the bus, Mal got up and stood in the aisle as Tobin took her seat next to her girlfriend. Instead of going to her seat like the couple expected her to, Mal just placed herself into Tobin's lap. Christen chuckled at the surprise on Tobin's face as Mal went from her lap to her girlfriend's. 

She soon felt a hand slipping into hers. She looked down at their intertwined hands before looking back up to Tobin. A small smile was etched onto her face as she and Mal talked about the game. They talked about how each one of them were able to get a goal. They also argued about who Christen's goal was dedicated to, completely ignoring the fact that the woman was sitting right there and could have asked her. Tobin was adamant that as her girlfriend, the goal was dedicated to her. Mal didn't agree and went on to explain that the goal was meant for Julie since she was one of Christen's best friends and it was her birthday. They went back and forth and Christen found it both amusing and endearing.

As she watched her girlfriend interact with the young girl, Christen realized how right Tobin was during their talk a few days ago. These were the precious moments that existed for themselves and no one else. This was their private bubble that the outside world couldn't pop.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come talk to me on tumblr @littlesass


End file.
